https://www.scmp.com/rss/522636/feed The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) is a governmental body headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, operating under the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. Its primary mission is to prevent and mitigate natural disasters, ensure transportation safety, foster industrial development, and enhance public welfare. The JMA achieves this by monitoring the Earth’s environment and forecasting natural phenomena. Its main activities include weather forecasting, issuing earthquake, tsunami,... en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk The magnitude 7.7 earthquake that hit Japan on Monday has renewed worries on Indonesia’s holiday island of Bali, which sits on the same Pacific Ring of Fire. Hours after the quake, the Japan Meteorological Agency issued a special advisory warning of a slightly elevated risk of a temblor with a magnitude of 8 or stronger in the coming days. It said there was a 1 per cent chance of a megaquake, compared with 0.1 per cent at other times. Monday’s temblor came just days after the Bali Meteorology,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3350994/why-japans-earthquake-has-bali-edge-over-magnitude-9-megathrust-risk?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3350994/why-japans-earthquake-has-bali-edge-over-magnitude-9-megathrust-risk?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 08:15:53 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Northeast Japan escaped relatively unscathed from the magnitude 7.7 earthquake that struck off its coast on Monday, but residents have been advised to stay alert as it is too early to tell whether the tremor was the main shock or a precursor to a far larger one. Hours after the quake, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) issued a special advisory warning of a slightly elevated risk of a temblor with a magnitude of 8 or stronger in the coming days. There was a 1 per cent chance of a megaquake,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3350881/japan-escapes-worst-magnitude-77-quake-experts-warn-potential-bigger-one?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3350881/japan-escapes-worst-magnitude-77-quake-experts-warn-potential-bigger-one?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Apr 2026 09:30:33 +0000 Wynna Wong Wynna Wong Hong Kong travellers in Japan were reported safe by at least one major tour operator while the Immigration Department said it was closely monitoring the situation after a powerful earthquake struck off the country’s northeast coast on Monday, triggering tsunami warnings. Steve Huen Kwok-chuen, executive director of EGL Tours, said the operator currently had about 40 tour groups in Japan, including three in the northeast and four in Hokkaido, areas covered by the alert. “All our customers are... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3350777/40-hong-kong-tour-groups-safe-after-magnitude-75-quake-strikes-japan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3350777/40-hong-kong-tour-groups-safe-after-magnitude-75-quake-strikes-japan?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Apr 2026 15:02:36 +0000 Agencies Agencies A tsunami warning was issued for parts of northeast and northern Japan on Monday after a magnitude-7.5 earthquake struck off the Sanriku Coast, sending residents to higher ground and boats out to sea as memories of the 2011 disaster resurfaced. Live television footage showed fishing boats and coastal vessels leaving ports along Japan’s northeast coast to avoid incoming waves, while broadcasters urged people in low-lying areas to evacuate immediately to safer ground. In Hokkaido, Makoto Watanabe,... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3350707/tsunami-warning-issued-japan-after-magnitude-74-quake-hits-northeast?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3350707/tsunami-warning-issued-japan-after-magnitude-74-quake-hits-northeast?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Apr 2026 08:12:40 +0000 Kyodo Kyodo Two strong earthquakes jolted Nagano Prefecture in central Japan on Saturday, with the first measuring a preliminary magnitude of 5.0 followed by another registering magnitude 5.1, the country’s weather agency said. The Japan Meteorological Agency warned of aftershocks on a similar scale over the next week or so. No tsunami warnings were issued. The first major quake occurred at 1.20pm in Omachi and registered upper 5 on the Japanese seismic intensity scale of 7, according to the agency. At... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3350559/magnitude-5-quake-hits-japans-nagano-prefecture?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3350559/magnitude-5-quake-hits-japans-nagano-prefecture?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2026 05:14:45 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Japan is hoping further US-Iran talks will ease tensions in the Middle East and help reopen the Strait of Hormuz permanently, but there is also mounting anxiety over what a failure could mean for the country as summer approaches. On Friday, Iran said it would reopen the strait for commercial shipping following a ceasefire agreement in Lebanon, while US ⁠President Donald Trump added that a US naval blockade of Iran’s ports would ‌remain until a deal with Tehran was struck. The fear in Japan,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3350475/japan-warned-hellish-summer-energy-fears-mount?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3350475/japan-warned-hellish-summer-energy-fears-mount?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2026 02:30:09 +0000 Reuters Reuters An earthquake of magnitude 7.6 struck in Indonesia’s Northern Maluku Sea on Thursday, killing one person, damaging buildings and triggering tsunami waves, authorities and witnesses said, though monitoring agencies said the likelihood of further casualties was low. Indonesia’s meteorology agency BMKG said tsunami waves were reported in five locations, the highest at 0.75 metre (2.46 feet) in North ‌Minahasa in North Sulawesi and about 50 aftershocks were monitored, the largest at a magnitude of... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3348725/tsunami-warning-indonesia-philippines-malaysia-after-maluku-sea-quake?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3348725/tsunami-warning-indonesia-philippines-malaysia-after-maluku-sea-quake?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Apr 2026 00:45:58 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Tokyo’s meteorologists declared the start of the much-loved cherry blossom season in the Japanese capital on Thursday, as residents prepare to host outdoor picnics under dazzling floral displays. The cherry season for Tokyo starts when the official sample tree at Yasukuni Shrine opens at least five flowers. “Today, the blooming of the Somei Yoshino cherry blossoms was observed,” the Tokyo Regional Headquarters of the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said in an eagerly awaited statement,... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3347166/blooming-marvellous-tokyos-cherry-blossom-season-officially-begins?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3347166/blooming-marvellous-tokyos-cherry-blossom-season-officially-begins?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Mar 2026 09:46:07 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Japan is likely to face another record-setting summer, climate experts have warned, as global warming continues to shrink Arctic ice, alter wind patterns and heat ocean waters. The Japan Meteorological Agency on Tuesday released its seasonal forecast for the coming months, predicting a 60 per cent probability of above-normal temperatures across Kyushu, Shikoku and the southern and eastern parts of Honshu between June and August. The southern islands of Okinawa, the northern prefecture of... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3344770/japan-set-endure-another-record-hot-summer-global-warming-persists?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3344770/japan-set-endure-another-record-hot-summer-global-warming-persists?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Feb 2026 00:00:09 +0000 Kyodo Kyodo Heavy snowfall caused a traffic jam to form on Friday on a highway in western Japan that stretched for up to 23km (14 miles) overnight, involving an estimated 3,000 vehicles, according to the highway operator and local firefighters. Lanes were subsequently closed on the Sanyo Expressway between Hiroshima Prefecture, where the incident happened, and neighbouring Yamaguchi Prefecture, but they reopened on Saturday afternoon, West Nippon Expressway said. The traffic jam hit as some drivers were... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3338609/japanese-snowstorm-traps-3000-vehicles-23km-traffic-jam-highway-over-new-year?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3338609/japanese-snowstorm-traps-3000-vehicles-23km-traffic-jam-highway-over-new-year?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 03 Jan 2026 08:09:58 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall A cluster of tremors off Japan’s northeastern coast has raised alarms among seismologists, as a new government study warns that up to 199,000 people could be killed if a magnitude 9 earthquake strikes. The most recent quake, a magnitude 4 offshore tremor recorded on Monday morning off eastern Hokkaido, was small and caused no reported damage. Yet authorities are urging residents to remain vigilant and review their evacuation plans after a succession of smaller offshore quakes in recent days off... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3336422/japan-risks-199000-deaths-overdue-megaquake-amid-fresh-tremor-swarm?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3336422/japan-risks-199000-deaths-overdue-megaquake-amid-fresh-tremor-swarm?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Dec 2025 02:29:26 +0000 Kyodo Kyodo The magnitude 7.5 earthquake that occurred off northeastern Japan recently highlights the need for Japan to provide safety tips and evacuation information to foreign nationals more effectively, particularly as the country witnesses an inbound tourism boom. Locals and foreign visitors alike were asked to evacuate as the weather agency issued tsunami warnings for part of the Pacific coast of Hokkaido, as well as Aomori and Iwate prefectures, on Monday. Among them, Jose San Juan, a tourist from the... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3336303/japan-quake-shows-urgent-need-improve-tourist-safety-didnt-know-where-go?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3336303/japan-quake-shows-urgent-need-improve-tourist-safety-didnt-know-where-go?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 13 Dec 2025 02:19:48 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A powerful earthquake struck off the coast of northern Japan on Friday, the weather office said, days after an even larger tremor shook the region and injured at least 50. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) upgraded Friday’s quake to a 6.7 magnitude and warned that tsunami waves of up to one metre (three feet) could hit the northern Pacific coastline. In the end, waves of up to 20cm (7 inches) were recorded on the main northern island of Hokkaido and in the Aomori region, the JMA said, before... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3336155/magnitude-67-earthquake-strikes-japan-triggering-tsunami-warning?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3336155/magnitude-67-earthquake-strikes-japan-triggering-tsunami-warning?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Dec 2025 03:25:03 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Japan issued a megaquake advisory on Tuesday after a magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck off the eastern coast of Aomori, the northernmost prefecture of Japan’s main island of Honshu, and just south of the northern island of Hokkaido. Damage from this quake was modest – 34 mostly mild injuries and some damage to roads and buildings. Officials said the advisory was not a prediction and the probability of a magnitude 8 or larger quake is only about 1 per cent. But there’s hope the advisory will serve... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3335797/japan-issues-megaquake-advisory-after-magnitude-75-aomori-quake?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3335797/japan-issues-megaquake-advisory-after-magnitude-75-aomori-quake?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Dec 2025 12:02:08 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A big quake off Japan injured at least 30 people, authorities said on Tuesday, damaging roads and knocking out power for thousands in freezing temperatures. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said the magnitude 7.5 quake at 11.15pm on Monday – downgraded from its first reading of 7.6 – raised the chances of similar or larger tremors in the coming days. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said 30 people were injured in the quake off the coast of the northern Aomori region, which triggered tsunami... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3335656/magnitude-72-earthquake-hits-japan-tsunami-alert-issued?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3335656/magnitude-72-earthquake-hits-japan-tsunami-alert-issued?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Dec 2025 14:45:08 +0000 Kyodo Kyodo Nearly half of men surveyed online in Japan used parasols amid high summer temperatures in 2025, including many who did so for the first time this year – a sign rising heat is eroding the strong association of the sunshades with women. Parasols have long been popular among women to protect their skin from the sun’s ultraviolet rays. However, the Tokyo metropolitan government survey showed an overwhelming majority of male users saying they decided to use them to keep cool this summer. The survey... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3328750/japanese-men-drop-gender-norms-pick-parasols-amid-record-heatwave?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3328750/japanese-men-drop-gender-norms-pick-parasols-amid-record-heatwave?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Oct 2025 03:29:38 +0000 Lisa Lim Lisa Lim What do the Capricorn constellation, a butterfly, a type of grass, a blue lake, a swordfish, a raccoon dog, and a dessert of rice balls and coconut milk have in common? If you are from the northwest Pacific, you may recognise them as giving names to the significant typhoons of Yagi, Wutip, Co-May, Kajiki, Nongfa, Neoguri and Bualoi – from Japanese, Cantonese, Vietnamese, Japanese, Lao, Korean and Thai, respectively – that all occurred in the past 12 months. Some names may seem apt. The recent... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/3328528/ragasa-matmo-yagi-how-typhoon-gets-its-name-and-who-gets-name-it?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/3328528/ragasa-matmo-yagi-how-typhoon-gets-its-name-and-who-gets-name-it?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Oct 2025 00:15:08 +0000 Kyodo Kyodo Japanese summers had lengthened by about three weeks over the 42 years from 1982 to 2023, a university research group said on Saturday. The Mie University group said that due to climate change, the number of days classified as summer has increased each year, while the length of winter has remained relatively unchanged, and the average durations of spring and autumn have shortened. The group cited “the rise in sea surface temperatures due to global warming” as the main factor, warning that “the... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3328658/summers-japan-longer-3-weeks-over-42-years-researchers-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3328658/summers-japan-longer-3-weeks-over-42-years-researchers-say?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Oct 2025 14:28:03 +0000 Kyodo Kyodo The probability of a megaquake occurring in the Nankai Trough within the next 30 years has been revised from 80 per cent to a range of around 60 to 90 per cent, or higher, Japan’s earthquake investigation panel has said. The revision reflects a new calculation method that takes into account data errors and uncertainties in predictions, and does not mean that the risk of an earthquake has increased, according to the government panel. “The situation remains that an earthquake could occur at any... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3327062/japan-revises-nankai-megaquake-risk-60-90-next-30-years-urges-disaster-readiness?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3327062/japan-revises-nankai-megaquake-risk-60-90-next-30-years-urges-disaster-readiness?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 27 Sep 2025 00:33:36 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Japan and South Korea sweltered this year through the hottest summers since records began, their weather agencies said on Monday. Temperatures the world over have soared in recent years as climate change creates ever more erratic weather patterns. Japan’s average temperature between June and August “was 2.36 degrees Celsius above the standard value, which marked the hottest summer since records began in 1898”, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. The agency did not disclose what the new... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3323930/japan-and-south-korea-endure-hottest-summers-record-climate-shifts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3323930/japan-and-south-korea-endure-hottest-summers-record-climate-shifts?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Sep 2025 09:40:57 +0000 SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk More than 2,000 “felt quakes” have shaken a string of islands in southwestern Japan since June 21, according to the country’s weather agency, triggering fears that they are presaging a megaquake. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) logged four temblors with an intensity of 4 in the area on Sunday and at least one on Monday, according to the Kyodo news agency. A level-4 temblor on Japan’s 10-level Shindo scale is considered a “felt quake” as people will notice the shaking, which can set... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3318161/megaquake-fears-shake-japan-after-2000-tremors-hit-island-chain-june-21?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3318161/megaquake-fears-shake-japan-after-2000-tremors-hit-island-chain-june-21?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 14 Jul 2025 10:08:30 +0000 Danny Mok Danny Mok Hongkongers’ enthusiasm for visiting Japan is expected to rebound “explosively” in the coming days and months after fears of a “megaquake” predicted in a manga proved unfounded, an industry leader has said. Steve Huen Kwok-chuen, executive director of EGL Tours, said on Monday that rumours of a July 5 earthquake had earlier caused significant concern among some Hongkongers. Many residents had shelved trips to Japan, leading to a sharp decline in tour group bookings. He said his agency normally... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3317289/surge-hongkongers-visiting-japan-expected-after-manga-megaquake-fears-fade?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3317289/surge-hongkongers-visiting-japan-expected-after-manga-megaquake-fears-fade?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Jul 2025 15:25:01 +0000 Kyodo Kyodo Japan’s weather agency said an earthquake that rattled small islands in the nation’s southwest on Saturday was in no way connected to a manga author’s disaster prediction that went viral on social media. “It is absolutely a coincidence. There is no causal connection,” Ayataka Ebita of the Japan Meteorological Agency told a press conference. Earlier in the day, a temblor with a preliminary magnitude of 5.4 struck off the Tokara island chain, the latest in a series of seismic events in the... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3317064/latest-japan-quake-has-no-causal-connection-manga-prophecy-weather-agency?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3317064/latest-japan-quake-has-no-causal-connection-manga-prophecy-weather-agency?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 05 Jul 2025 04:40:39 +0000 Sammy Heung Sammy Heung The plot of a Japanese manga has played a big role in fuelling online rumours about a “megaquake” striking Japan on Saturday, triggering fear among some Hongkongers and a decline in interest in trips to the country, a hugely popular destination for residents. But are the claims made by the comic book artist, based on her dreams, possible? The Post has gathered expert opinions to debunk the speculation. 1. Why have concerns about megaquakes arisen? The Japan Meteorological Agency last August... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3317043/japanese-manga-megaquake-possible-july-5-or-have-hongkongers-lost-plot?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3317043/japanese-manga-megaquake-possible-july-5-or-have-hongkongers-lost-plot?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 04 Jul 2025 14:45:47 +0000 Nicole Cheah Nicole Cheah A manga novel’s prediction has fuelled rumours that a mega-earthquake will hit Japan on Saturday. Social media posts claiming that disaster will strike on Saturday have attracted millions of views and even dampened tourism, according to some reports. Fans claim the same manga foretold the devastating Tohoku earthquake and tsunami in 2011, which claimed the lives of nearly 20,000 people. Why are people concerned about a prophecy from a graphic novel, and how prepared is Japan for a major... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3316900/japans-manga-megaquake-prophecy-likely-be-fulfilled?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3316900/japans-manga-megaquake-prophecy-likely-be-fulfilled?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 04 Jul 2025 03:12:07 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Japan experienced its hottest June on record, the weather agency said on Tuesday, as climate change prompts sweltering heatwaves across the globe. “Japan’s monthly average temperature in June was the highest for the month since statistics began in 1898,” the Japan Meteorological Agency said. With strong high-pressure systems in June staying in the region, the monthly average temperature ended 2.34 degrees Celsius higher than usual, the agency said. The temperature of coastal waters near Japan... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3316526/japans-hottest-june-record-sparks-climate-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3316526/japans-hottest-june-record-sparks-climate-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 01 Jul 2025 10:16:54 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall A swarm of earthquakes around Japan’s remote Tokara Islands and the eruption of a long-dormant volcano in Kyushu have renewed public anxiety – stoked in part by a manga artist whose work is widely believed to have foretold a 2011 disaster and who has now predicted another major calamity striking Japan in early July. Seismologists and officials have dismissed any suggestion of a link between the recent activity and the prediction, stressing that there is no scientific basis for forecasting the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3315795/quake-swarm-and-volcano-eruption-japan-reignite-fears-linked-viral-manga-prediction?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3315795/quake-swarm-and-volcano-eruption-japan-reignite-fears-linked-viral-manga-prediction?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Jun 2025 00:00:09 +0000